IRFD receives funds under the Danish National Budget, which are earmarked for the education of researchers at state, non-university public research institutions. In 2019, these funds amount to approximately DKK 21 million, corresponding to 8-9 grants. Maximum amount per grant will be DKK 1.8 million, excluding overhead. Please note that IRFD does not generally offer support for individual PhD scholarships. Therefore you cannot apply for an individual PhD grant to be carried out at a university.

The purpose of the PhD grants under this call is to strengthen the education of researchers at public, Danish, state, non-university research institutions. The instrument is relevant for non-university research institutions, and covers sector research institutions, university colleges, business academies as well as state archives, libraries and museums. It does not cover state approved museums, Advanced Technology Group (GTS) institutes, hospitals, and others.

The objective of the initiative is to develop the qualifications and competencies of the best research talents, both nationally and internationally. Sapere Aude is aimed at Danish as well as non-Danish researchers.

In order to promote the education of researchers and strengthen internationalisation, Independent Research Fund Denmark offers the Sapere Aude (meaning "dare to know") instrument.

Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant is aimed at providing excellent younger researchers, i.e. researchers who have carried out top class research in their field, with the opportunity to develop and strengthen their research ideas. The instrument also aims at promoting the mobility internationally as well as nationally among research environments, and thereby to strengthen networks and careers. Starting Grants are targeted at top researchers who intend to gather a group of researchers and/or research students, to carry out a research project at a high, international level. Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant also strengthens the possibility for excellent younger researchers to return to a Danish research institution after a research stay abroad.

IRFD expects that a Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant prepares the grant recipient to apply for an ERC Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant or Advanced Grant, or a similar international programme.

This instrument is offered only by DFF | Humanities. The purpose of Research Networks | Humanities is to strengthen the broad base of cooperation among research areas which are geographically and institutionally scattered, both in Denmark and abroad. The network is expected to cooperate on defined research themes and challenges. In assessing applications, emphasis is placed on the originality of the concept and the network’s expected contribution to scientific development.

Independent Research Fund Denmark funds specific research activities within all scientific areas that are based on the researchers' own initiatives and that improve the quality and internationalisation of Danish research.